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I have a Specialized Ruby and recently bought a the Ruby Expert saddle to get into racing (crits and gran fondos). The saddle is comfortable and pretty much disappears when I'm riding in the drops, but is uncomfortable when I am riding on the hoods, which is most of the time. Is this normal or a just bad fit?

I rode it yesterday for 30 miles with a medium chamois.

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  • this is weird it looks like a good saddle and should not give you problems. The thing is that a saddle it is a very personal thing may be you just need another shape.
    – kifli
    Commented Oct 10, 2016 at 12:32
  • I was having a similar issue. My problem ended up being the shape. The saddle that was causing me pain ended up being too narrow. See if you can borrow a saddle from a friend to try out a different shape.
    – npsantini
    Commented Oct 10, 2016 at 14:10
  • I'd pay money to belong to a Saddle Library. Saddles aren't cheap - I'd like to hire/borrow one for a month, ride it, see what works, and keep returning them for another one till I find one that suits my rear end. I wonder if this exists?
    – Criggie ♦
    Commented Oct 10, 2016 at 19:33
  • The pain is directly on the sit bones. I'm going to take the bike out again tomorrow and pinpoint the exact location of the pain.
    – MNRC
    Commented Oct 10, 2016 at 21:00

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It's not normal. Road bikes are designed for the hoods to be as comfortable/sustainable as possible.

If your rear is more comfortable when you're in the drops, you should probably try tilting your saddle back a bit.

However... consider the possibility that when you are in the drops:

  • The discomfort in wrists, neck and back are greater.
  • Like you said, you spend less time there.

These could reduce your awareness of saddle discomfort.

As with any saddle discomfort, you should pinpoint exactly where you feel pain, and make a change that reduces pressure there.

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  • The point seems to be centered on the sit bones. I can feel contact and the sit bones just feel sore. Should I turn up the nose of the saddle?
    – MNRC
    Commented Oct 10, 2016 at 20:59
  • @MNRC Turning up the nose of the saddle will reduce pressure on your sit bones, but it will increase pressure on your 'softer parts' that are further out on the nose of the saddle, which is generally not comfortable, but it sounds like it may not be an issue for you. I had this same problem recently, with a very hard saddle. I ended up getting another saddle of similar shape but with a bit more padding, and so far it's been great.
    – BSO rider
    Commented Oct 10, 2016 at 21:56

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